Ethics

Maybe one of the worst episodes. The writers couldn't decide whether the story should be about the right to choose one's death or experimental medicine and taking risks to preserve life. In typical poorly conceived fashion, the writers chose to push both agendas, then punish the researcher who made life possible. Another bad episode straight of the the worst Hollywood hack's Powerbook.

This episode feels long, it's boring and preachy. This is a good one to skip.

Worf's spine is crushed, leaving him paralyzed. He wants to perform a ritual suicide to die with honor, but the self-righteous Crusher and Riker want to force him to live with the disability. Meanwhile, a specialist comes on board with an experimental procedure that could make it possible for Worf to walk again, but she meets constant resistance from Crusher.

For a normally left-wing show, this episode has a strong stench of the right-wing moral police. We're lead to believe that Worf shouldn't commit suicide, because of some moral objection two other characters have (when it's not about their lives). Other reviewers have mentioned "Half a Life" and how the message was not to interfere with another culture with a ritual suicide, but here, the exact opposite message is preached. They're right about the contradictory messages between these two episodes.

The episode reminds me of the Terri Schiavo case. She was in a persistent vegetative state and as per her positions from before going into a coma, she didn't want to be on prolonged life support, but the conservatives decided to stick their nose in and there was a huge polemic where there didn't need to be.

On the other hand, if this episode had focused on the ethics of the specialist using patients as objects of experimentation, it might have had a good message, but in the end, it seems to have been written by a preacher who wanted to push his life-is-sacred dogma even when he's not in church.

well, if you're going to do an episode on assisted suicide, Worf's the right character; to a Klingon, paralysis is a death sentence, and those guys do not abide disgrace.

As written, this is standard morality stuff. Debate rages between Riker and Work, Riker and Picard, Picard and everybody, all the while a cavalier scientist is onboard with a risky untested procedure.

It's the acting from almost everyone that makes this work as well as it does. Frakes' pleas are heartfelt, McFadden's indignation comes from a place of caring for her patient, and Stewart knows how to play up the grand moralizing.

It's nice to see an emphasis on the crew as family, but it also feels like these characters are convenient topical mouthpieces.

6/10

Worf has an accident that leads to paralysis and Dr Crusher faces an ethical dilemma.

This is an interesting but slightly melodramatic episode that lives up to its title.

The plot is a very straightforward medical drama that addresses a number of points such as experimental treatment, and assisted suicide. It also attempts to create moments of suspense, but this largely fails due to the level of the stakes involved.

When it addresses the issues at the heart of the story it is at its most effective. The conflict between Dr Crusher and Dr Russell is the strongest point for me. Gates McFadden gives one of her best performances with a very intriguing subject.

The parallel conflict between Worf and Riker is also pretty good, but a lot more aggressively stated. Jonathan Frakes puts his heart into the argument, but the writing associated with Riker's stance on the subject is a bit preachy at times.

Michael Dorn does a great job portraying Worf as you would expect the character to react in this circumstance. His interactions with everyone are excellent. He is such a cool character.

As ever Captain Picard puts his ultimate philosophical stamp on both arguments and Patrick Stewart does it with his usual level of class.

It ends with an attempt at creating suspense that is fairly well made, but falls flat because we obviously know what the outcome will be and even how we might get there due to a hint given earlier.